Well-rested Tar Heels look for right mindset

By Bob Sutton / Times-News

Published: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 11:51 PM.

With the Tar Heels in danger of going to 0-3 in the ACC for the second time in school history, the toppling of Florida State was crucial in reducing some of the tension around the Tar Heels. Still, there’s more work to be done.

“Fifteen of them left,” Williams said. “… One of our biggest problems is we haven’t played with enough sense of urgency. I think those two losses in a row made us play with a greater sense of urgency.”

The Tar Heels might not be at full strength again. Williams said guard Leslie McDonald’s sore knee doesn’t seem to have improved enough for him to return to action. Paige took advantage of the layoff between games to allow an injured ankle to recover.

“Right now, I’m 100 percent,” Paige said. “I feel fine.”

-- This could be Maryland’s final trip to Chapel Hill depending the make-up of future schedules or the Terrapins’ departure date to the Big Ten Conference.

North Carolina has renewed confidence after a week-long break, but coach Roy Williams said Friday he’d like to see more evidence of resurgence from his team.

“The guys in short pants have to play on game day,” Williams said.

Next for the Tar Heels comes this afternoon’s game against Maryland, which is coming off Wednesday night’s toppling of 14th-ranked North Carolina State. North Carolina won its last game a week ago at Florida State.

That gave the Tar Heels something to build on after losing their first two Atlantic Coast Conference games. That might have seeped into this week’s workouts.

“Leading up to the Virginia game (as the ACC opener), we had some good practices but we weren’t as focused (as we’ve been this week),” freshman guard Marcus Paige said.

Now it’s a matter of transferring those good practice sessions into games.

“We do a really good job in practice of being where we’re supposed to be,” Paige said. “… I think that comes game by game with doing a better job of doing that.”

With the Tar Heels in danger of going to 0-3 in the ACC for the second time in school history, the toppling of Florida State was crucial in reducing some of the tension around the Tar Heels. Still, there’s more work to be done.

“Fifteen of them left,” Williams said. “… One of our biggest problems is we haven’t played with enough sense of urgency. I think those two losses in a row made us play with a greater sense of urgency.”

The Tar Heels might not be at full strength again. Williams said guard Leslie McDonald’s sore knee doesn’t seem to have improved enough for him to return to action. Paige took advantage of the layoff between games to allow an injured ankle to recover.

“Right now, I’m 100 percent,” Paige said. “I feel fine.”

-- This could be Maryland’s final trip to Chapel Hill depending the make-up of future schedules or the Terrapins’ departure date to the Big Ten Conference.

Tip-off

Who: Maryland (14-3, 2-2) at North Carolina (11-5, 1-2)

When: Noon today (ESPN)

Where: Smith Center, Chapel Hill

Series: North Carolina leads 118-57, including three victories last season.